After A Heart Attack At 40, Normal Living Made No Sense To This Woman. What She Did Is Awesome.

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Dee Williams only owns 305 possessions. That might not seem like much… but then consider what you have simply in your kitchen cabinets. You probably well exceed that number quickly.

She doesn’t own very much because she leads a very simple life in a very small house. Her home is only 84 square feet.

Ten years ago she was inspired to downsize (and she took downsizing seriously). Dee had a heart attack and was told she had cardiomyopathy, a fatal condition. Instead of paying a 30 year mortgage and stressing herself out with the upkeep of her three bedroom house, she sold it. She was going to enjoy life.

After taking a trip to an impoverished aread of Guatemala, she was inspired to live “smaller” than what she was.

Stuart Isett for The New York Times

Her health issues inspired her to make the big (small) move.

Stuart Isett for The New York Times

So, she bought a trailer, drew up some house plans and put everything into action.

Stuart Isett for The New York Times

Stuart Isett for The New York Times

Most of her friends thought she was a kook.

Stuart Isett for The New York Times

Stuart Isett for The New York Times

Now, she helps run Portland Alternative Dwellings, a company that provides resources for building tiny houses.

Stuart Isett for The New York Times

Once her house was finished, she parked it next to a friend’s house…

Stuart Isett for The New York Times

Then, the shared backyard became a group living room, or The Compound, as they called it.

Stuart Isett for The New York Times

Ms. Williams used to hitch her home to a truck and drive it to workshops, but now she is more of a homebody.

Stuart Isett for The New York Times

Dee knows that the tiny house works for now, but it may not work forever. When her brother visits there is barely room for his backpack.

Stuart Isett for The New York Times

She also knows that she still has her heart condition.

Stuart Isett for The New York Times

In a book she wrote about her house, The Big Tiny, she talks about her life in the house.

Stuart Isett for The New York Times

She describes what it’s like to be inside that house: smelling raw cedar and knotty pine; listening to the weather.

Stuart Isett for The New York Times

“In a big house, it’s easier to ignore what’s going on outside,” she said. “Or you’re constantly trying to compete with nature through your thermostat. I’m more into collaborating with nature now.”

Stuart Isett for The New York Times

Her life is simpler now, with less worries.

Stuart Isett for The New York Times

Learning to simplify your life and take things slowly can really add value and happiness to your days. Living in a tiny house certainly isn’t for everyone, but hearing about Dee’s journey is inspiring. If you’d like to learn more about her awesome project, buy her book!